Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



R. WHITE.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

Patented Mar. 13, 1855 ILPETERS. PHOTOLITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, 01c.

UNITED STATES PArENr Crates.

.ROLLIN \VHITE, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 2,529, dated March 13, 1855.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROLLIN WHITE, of the city and county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Breech-Loading Fire-Arms, which, to distinguish from other inventions of mine of a similar character, I will denominate No. 2; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, representing a longitudinal section of a pistol constructed according to my invention.

This invention is applicable to all firearms having the sliding or rising and falling breech.

It consists in so connecting the hammer with the breech that the cooking of the hammer may be effected by the closing of the chamber after the charge is inserted.

A represents a sliding breech, connected. by a stirrup, a, with a trigger-guard lever, B, to be withdrawn to open the chamber to receive the charge by pulling down the said lever, as shown inred outline in the drawing, and to be replaced to close the chamber,when loaded, by raising the said lever to bring the triggerguard to its place to protect the trigger, as shown in black outline.

G is the hammer, and C the tumbler, having its sear b above its center of motion.

D is a movable tooth attached to the sliding breech for the purpose of engaging in the sear b to cook the hammer and hold it when cooked. This tooth D is kept in operation and controlled by a spring, 0, attached to the breech.

E is the trigger,which disengages the tooth D to set free the hammer through the agency of a small sliding piece, (I, which is fitted to slide in a straight line within the tumbler.

F is the mainspring.

e is a stationary pin to return the sliding piece (I previously to the cooking of the hammer.

I will commence to describe the operation of my invention by supposing the piece to have just received the charge, the hammer being down and the breech withdrawn, as shown in red outline in the drawing. The raising of the trigger-guard lever to close the chamber will cause the tooth D to throw back the tumbler and hammer; and when these are thrown back, as shown in black outline, their return is prevented by reason of the tooth D standing nearly at right angles to the line of movement of the breech, and thus looking them. The drawing of the trigger moves the sliding piece d upward, and lifts the tooth D from the sear, thus setting free the hammer to cause the explosion. Near the termination of the descent of the hammer the sliding piece d comes in contact with the pin 0, and isthereby thrown back,'to be operative for the next discharge. The pin 6 also serves the purpose of preventing the hammer descending farther than is desirable after the withdrawal of the breech for the next charge by catching the sear b.

If it should be desirable to prevent the cocking of the hammer by the replacement of the breech to close the chamber-as may be the case when the discharge is not to be immediately repeated-this can be effected by means of a small crank or eccentric, f, which may be thrown back from the position in which it is represented in the drawing, to keep the tooth D disengaged from the sear. The hammer may be then cooked by hand in the usual manner. The crank or eccentric f is controlled by a small lever, 9, outside the stock. This lever is shown in blue outline.

The vent may be either in the sliding breech, as shown, or in side of the barrel.

This invention is also applicable when the chamber is contained in a breech-piece movable on a center or pivot by means of a trigger-guard lever. The tooth D may then be attached either to the breech or to the triggerguard lever, and its operation will be the same as described.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The connection of the breech or breechpiece with the hammer in such a manner that the latter may be cocked by the act of moving the former into its place to close the chamber, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The peculiar manner of effecting the cooking and setting free of the hammer by means of the spring-tooth D, attached to the breech or breech-piece, and the sliding piece (1, working in the tumbler to be acted upon by the trigger for the purpose of disengaging disconnecting the hammer from the breech or the said tooth, substantially as herein set breech-piece when the immediate repetition forth. of the discharge is not desired.

3. The employment of a crank or eccen- ROLLIN WVHITE. 'tric, f, arranged and operating substantially Witnesses: as described, for the purpose of disengaging S. H. WALES, the tooth D from the tumbler, and thereby I. G. MAsoN. 

